On Wednesday, 30th June 2021, a delegation from three Japanese firms, namely, Toyota Ghana Company, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Marubeni Corporation, paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, to inform the University about the commencement of the Toyota Tsusho Vehicle Assembly Plant in the country and to discuss how to enhance and expand operations in Ghana.
Mr. Hoshika Kenichiro, General Manager of the Industry System and Mobility Business Department of the Marubeni Corporation, indicated that the three firms are interested in the human development of Africans. Consequently, they have already established training centres in Kenya, Cameroon and Angola, aiming to build a training centre in each African country. The delegation was appreciative of the cooperation they have received from the University and was interested in maintaining the relationship.
In response, the Vice-Chancellor expressed gratitude for the visit and thanked the government and people of Japan for their generous support of the Ghanaian economy. He emphasized that the University was open to mutually beneficial collaborations and partnerships; and he implored the delegation to instil the Japanese work ethics in the students who will be receiving practical lessons at the training centres.
The delegation together with a team of the University visited the site for the building of an ultramodern training centre for the School of Engineering Sciences and a multi-purpose workshop for Toyota Ghana Company Limited. The delegation was conducted around the site by the project architect, Mr. Ayitey Aryee, who gave an up-to-date report on work done and the Vice Chancellor was excited about the progress of work.
The Japanese delegation included Mr. Akira Yamada, General Manager of Toyota Tsusho Ghana; Mr. Yanaka Kohji, General Manager of Toyota Ghana Company Limited; Mr. Yuichi Makita, General Manager of Marubeni Corporation; Mr. Yusuke Yamamoto, Regional CEO of Marubeni SSD(Africa); Mr. Kotaro
Nakamura, Assistant to the General Manager, Toyota Ghana Company Limited; Mr. Henry Datsomoh, Project Manager of Toyota Ghana Company Limited; Mrs. Phyllis Adu, Business Development Officer, Marubeni Accra Office; Mr. Robert Dadzie, Business Development Officer, Marubeni Accra Office.
The UG team comprised Prof. Felix Asante, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (ORID); Prof. Daniel Asiedu, Provost, College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS); Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, Dean of School of Engineering Sciences; Prof. George Oduro Nkansah, Director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology; Mr. Joseph Oduro Nkansah, Deputy Registrar, Vice-Chancellor’s Office; Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, Secretary of CBAS; and Ms. Eccles Andoh, Acting Director, Public Affairs Directorate.
